Environmentally hazardous fluids, such as acids, oils, and toxins, which can cause serious harm to the environment often need to be pumped throughout fluid flow systems from one location to another. Centrifugal pumps including a motor driven impeller affixed to a pump shaft are typically utilized in, pumping such fluids. The shafts of such pumps are typically rotatably supported against radial movement and vibration by conventional pump shaft bearings (e.g. ball bearings). These bearings must be continually lubricated throughout the operation of the pump in order to reduce maintenance requirements and maintaining a satisfactory operating life of the bearings and thus the pump.
Conventional lubricating fluids, such as oils, are typically used to lubricate such pump shaft bearings. See, for example, commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,273, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. The lubricating fluid is generally housed in a bearing lubrication or misting chamber surrounding the pump shaft. Conventional pumps typically include ball bearings, as disclosed in the '273 patent, located within or adjacent the misting or lubricating chamber, for supporting the pump shaft. In the prior art, these shaft supporting bearings are often lubricated by positioning the lubricant level within the lubrication chamber at a level or position about half-way up the bottom bearing ball. Maintaining the lubricating oil level at such a position necessarily translates into the bearing balls plowing through the lubricating fluid (e.g. oil) when the shaft and supporting bearings are rotated. This results in undesirable heat generation within the bearings and adjacent the pump shaft, such heat generation being caused by the friction created by the bearing balls continually passing through the lubricating oil. Such heat generation increases maintenance requirements and reduces the operating life of the bearings.
Dirt, contaminants, and moisture in the lubricant is also a problem. The presence of such contaminants in the lubricating fluid results in increased wear and greatly reduced life of the bearings and thus additional maintenance.
In the prior art, when it is time to “change the oil” in such pumps, it is necessary to shut down the pump, remove an oil plug typically located at the bottom of the misting chamber, drain the oil, close the plug, and thereafter fill the chamber with clean oil from the top. Unfortunately, this results in substantial downtime of the pump, undesirable labor requirements, and strong reliance upon operators in the field for inserting/removing the proper amount and type of lubricating fluid. Also, an undesirably large amount of oil is used over time.
It is apparent from the above that there exists a need in the art for a lubrication system wherein: (i) the system is easily retrofitable to all pumps and similar equipment with a simple and easy to use installation kit; (ii) the lubricating fluid in the system is maintained in a clean and moisture free state without requiring frequent “oil changes”; (iii) the temperature of the lubricating fluid in the misting chamber is maintained at the lowest possible level so as to increase the life of the mechanical components therein; (iv) the system permits an operator to visually check the oil level and visual appearance of the oil in the pump without having to shut it down; and (v) a larger capacity lubricant reservoir is provided.
It is the purpose of this invention to fulfill the above-described needs in the art as well as other needs apparent to the skilled artisan from the following detailed description of this invention.